It's not a true Adventure Bike without a Tool Tube

Adventure Bikes were designed to enable motorcyclists to carry as much unnecessary crap on their machines as possible. And then ride them to places with exotic sounding names that nobody has heard of except the people who live there. Well, that is if you believe the hype, and the salesman's banter.

In reality, most riders like the comfy upright riding position, and the ability to carry enough luggage for the rider and a pillion on a fortnights touring holiday. Big aluminium panniers bolted to the sides of an autobahn cruising machine, rider and pillion in matching high tech textile suits, clocking off the miles in sumptuous comfort, looking like a lifestyle advertisement for the Touratech catalogue. I have become a convert to this kind of motorcycling. It just seems to make sense to the type of riding I do. I am too broken and unfit to ride sports bikes for any length of time anymore.

But, it doesn't matter how many crash bars, armoured skid plates, or GPS mounts you have, an Adventure Bike is not a true Adventure Bike unless it has a tool tube fitted.

Tool tubes have become a must have accessory for a serious Adventure Bike. They allow you to carry even more stuff that you probably don't need. But, they do allow you to use some of the wasted space at various points around the motorcycle, and add a certain utilitarian look at the same time.

Humble looking homemade tool tubes started appearing a few years ago, as a means of carrying a few tools and spares on off road bikes for longer rides, conveniently and securely. Before that, it was a case of using a fender bag or carrying them in an enduro tool belt or backpack. Then someone on an internet forum posted a picture of a tractor operators manual storage tube fitted to their bike. Since that day, the "agri tube" has become a phenomenon!

So, I have fitted not one, but two tool tubes to my Tiger. A double dose of adventurism. I'll be able to complete the Road of Bones in a weekend now I they are on my bike!

I had a pair of tool tubes fitted to the pannier rails of my Aprilia Caponord. I used to carry fuel for my camping stove in one, and a tool kit in the other.

Tool tubes fitted to the lower pannier rails of my much missed Aprilia Caponord

As, I am planning a long trip on my Tiger this summer, I thought I could do with a little additional storage for spare inner tubes and a puncture kit etc. I purchased a pair of the agri tubes from a seller on Ebay. I then had to work out how and where to fit them to the bike.

I looked at various places on the bike to decide on the best place to mount them . As, there is some wasted space behind the left pannier rail, this looked like the obvious place to mount the tool tubes.

On the Triumph Tiger 800 there are some blanked off threaded holes on the lower side of the subframe rails. These are the mounting points for the genuine accessory pannier kit. These mounting points just so happen to be the same spacing as the mounting holes on the tool tubes. It was almost as if Triumph had designed it that way!
If I was only going to mount one tool tube, I would just bolt the tool tube straight on to the subframe using the pannier mounting points. But, as I was wanting to mount two tool tubes a bracket of some description would have to be fabricated. Ideally I wanted to mount the tool tubes in a stacked position, so that I could access both tool tubes from the rear of the bike. But, due to the strengthening bar between the two panniers on my bike ( see picture above ), it would prevent me accessing the bottom tool tube. I was also concerned about the clearance of the bottom tool tube with the swinging arm when using the full suspension travel.
So, I decided to mount the second tube facing forwards.
I mocked up a bracket from some scrap steel, and then fabricated the final bracket from some 3x20mm flat steel stock I had. I painted the bracket with some etch primer and a few coats of black stone chip paint. I chose stone chip as the bracket will get subjected to quite a bit of weather and debris coming off the rear tyre.

Bracket all painted and ready to fit

 

I then mounted the tool tubes to the bracket with some stainless button head bolts and nyloc nuts. I have also removed the yellow graphics from the tool tubes with a little bit of brake cleaner and a rag.

 



The lids of the tool tubes screw on tightly and have an o ring seal to keep out water and muck. I did find though that the tool tube caps on my Aprilia Caponord could come loose over a period of time. I decided that I would fabricate and install some safety wires to prevent the caps from unscrewing themselves on rough roads. This would also provide a little security for the contents from opportunist thieves. I am not planning in carrying anything of real value in the tool tubes. But, it can be extremely frustrating to find the tool you need for a simple roadside repair is now occupying some little cretins pocket.
I bought some wire rope and fittings from a chandlers shop. I made up two six inch safety wires with loops at each end. I attached one end of each safety wire to the tool tube mounting bolts using a stainless top hat fitting and passing the wire through a p clip. I will them secure the other end with a small padlock. I have fitted a strap loop to each tool tube cap with stainless blind fittings for a neat and tidy finish.

 

A couple of pictures showing the safety wires fitted

 

And here is the finished assembly fitted to the bike

 

And, the finished job with the pannier fitted

 

Overall I am very pleased with the results. The tool tubes are nicely tucked out of the way, but easily accessible when needed. I bought a little extra of the wire rope, so I will fabricate a PacSafe style security cable for wrapping around my roll bag that I take with me on camping trips. That will be my next project.

 

 

 

 

Tony Archer Seat

One thing that I find is literally a pain in the arse, is the seat on the Tiger. It seems fine at first. But, after about an hour of riding, or 60 or so miles I start to do the numb bum shuffle!
This is not so good on a motorcycle capable of covering big mileages in a day. And, as I am planning to go on a few long touring trips this year I needed to do something about the seat. The seat foam is too soft and compresses once it gets warm from sitting on it for a while. I would also prefer the seat profile to be flattened off, and made slightly wider in places. There is a plastic lip on the back edge of the seat, and a lack of padding on the bottom edge of the side of the seat. I can feel these bits of the seat starting to bite me after a few miles.

I knew what I wanted, and I knew the man for the job. I have used Tony Archer to reshape and cover a number of motorcycle seats in the past. His work is always top quality, and he has a way of making seats more usable for me. He has also worked he magic on a few other Tiger 800 seats with good results.

Not wanting to use the existing seat on my bike for the modifications ( so it is easier to put back to standard when it is time to sell it ), I bought a used seat from a fellow member of the Tiger 800 forum, http://www.tiger800.co.uk/index.php  and went to see Tony to discuss what I wanted him to do.

About a week later I received the seat back from Tony. It looked amazing. So, it was off with the original seat, and on with the new one. Instantly the seat looked higher, flatter, and wider in all the areas I had asked for. The seat had also been covered in a nice anti-slip tactile waterproof vinyl fabric.

 

 

 

 

The seat is instantly much more comfortable. The flatter profile of the main seating area really makes a difference. The added padding on the rear and sides of the seat help to keep me sat in a more centralised position too. There has been about an extra inch of padding added all over the seat. This means that when the new seat is in the lower setting, it  feels about the same as the original one in the higher setting. I will try it on the lower setting for a while. But , it gives me the option of a little more legroom adjustment if I need it. It could be a bit interesting when stopping at junctions etc though, as I am not the tallest of men.

 

 

Barkbuster Storm Handguards

As I had been neglecting my Tiger for a while due to the recent bad weather, I thought I would treat it to a few goodies. There are a couple of areas on the Tiger that could be improved more to my liking. So, I have bought some new items to hopefully change these for the better.

The genuine Triumph handguards are rubbish. I noticed this when I test rode one prior to buying my Tiger. The Triumph handguards are a cosmetic addition that give the bike that "Adventure Bike" look that everyone craves, but fail miserably when it comes to actually protecting your hands. They are just too small. And, the shape of them directs the air flowing over them at the back of your hands. This is really annoying on cold or wet days, as you get an icy blast or a jet wash of water fired at the back of your hands and up the sleeve of your jacket.

The Genuine Triumph Handguards

 

After looking around at the various options, I decided to buy a set of Barkbusters with the optional Storm plastic extensions. These are reasonably priced, and highly rated amongst the Tiger owners that have fitted them. 

 

 

The Barkbusters package consists of a pair of tough aluminium bars which provided the protection for your bike. If you were to drop it, they would help prevent the levers from breaking. They also protect your hands if you were to bash the handle bars on something like a tree riding through a forest trail, or the side mirror of a van during a hectic morning commute.

 

You then chose from a few different plastic guard options, which attach to the aluminium bar sections. I chose the larger Storm option as these provide the best weather protection.

 

The kit comes with a comprehensive fitting kit ( these Barkbusters are a specific fitment for the Tiger 800 and Explorer 1200 ), and easy to understand instructions.

 

After removing the Genuine Triumph handguards, I had the Barkbusters fitted in about fifteen minutes. The instructions specify that the handlebar clamps need to be fitted in a certain way, and that the handlebars ( which are adjustable ) need to be in the middle of their range of adjustment to provide the necessary clearances needed when turning the steering lock to lock. However, as I have my handlebars in a more forward position to prevent shoulder pain from a injury a few years ago, it took me a few adjustments to get them just so.

 

Barkbusters fitted

 

The Storm plastic guards are simply fixed to the aluminium bars with a small plastic bracket, and some self tapping screws.

 

 



 

The Barkbusters look great. And, seem to be very strong. They definitely look like they could take a proper beating.

 

 

 

And, the Storm guards look like they will provide much better weather protection. If they prove to be a little too warm in the summer, I will consider changing the Storm guards for one of the other smaller enduro style options.

   

 

Time for a new pair of tyres

My Tiger came fitted with a pair of Pirelli Scorpion Trail tyres from new. I have always been a fan of Pirelli / Metzeller tyres ( they are part of the same group of companies), and have used them on many of my previous motorcycles.

So, they'll be alright won't they? Er, no. They are pretty shocking if I'm being honest. And, I am not the only Tiger owner to think so. There is a wealth of internet forum threads debating just how bad the Scorpion Trail tyres are. I am of the opinion that they were part of the Triumph accounting department's cost cutting measures.

The Pirelli's did a job. They just didn't do it very well. Ever since I first got the bike, they have never been exactly confidence inspiring. This lack of confidence was even more evident if there was a hint of moisture in the air. Something of an issue what with living in the UK. My first trip on the Tiger in the rain, had me wondering if I had bought the wrong bike!

I experimented with different tyre pressures, but resigned to the fact that I would have to change them sooner rather than later. I looked at the various options and settled on either a pair of Conti Trail Attack 2's, or Michelin Anakee 3's. The Michelin's were on a special price promotion at the time. So, discounted Michelin Anakee 3's it is then.

I have had a pair of the Michelin's sat next to my workbench ready to fit for a few weeks. I was just having trouble finding the time to fit them. I also had a few long motorway trips to do. So, rather than square off my new tyres I decided to kill the Pirelli's instead.

I finally got round to fitting the Michelins this week. The Pirelli's were worn down to about 3mm, so still perfectly legal. But, the front was wearing unevenly and the rear was squared off.

 

Nasty worn Pirelli Scorpion Trail front tyre



Even worse badly squared off rear



Front: New Michelin Anakee 3 on the left and old Pirelli Scorpion Trail on the right.

Rear: Old Pirelli Scorpion Trail on the left and new Michelin Anakee 3 on the right.
 

The Michelins were a bit of a pain to fit. The bead area was difficult to seat, especially on the front. This meant using a little more pressure than I liked. But, the tyres eventually went on with a satisfying pop, and I was able to breath again!

The Michelins have a cool looking tread pattern that has little teeth within the main tread. Lets hope they "bite" into the road better than the Pirellis did!

I now need a chance to get out and ride so that I can see how they perform. There has been constant rain for the last few days, and lots of flooding and surface water. So, it may be a while before I can report my thoughts. Watch this space.
 

Weekend Away- First Mini Tour: Day 3

After a great nights sleep, I woke up just after six. It had not been as cold during the night as the previous few nights, and I had slept right through.
Unknowingly, I had forgotten to turn off the alarm on my phone. It had been going off since 05:45, which is when I had been getting up for work earlier in the week. I had not heard my alarm going off, but Rosie in the next tent had. She didn't go on about it much! I went for shower, to wake up properly, and to give Rosie a chance to calm down.
After walking back from the ablution block, a few other campers had begun to stir. Camp stoves were fired up, and the salivating aromas of sizzling bacon and fresh coffee filed the air. This was devoured with an ample helping of humorous banter, as we geared up for the days ride ahead.

The ride out in the Welsh countryside, on stunning roads is always a highlight of these weekends. There is something special about riding along with 30 or so other motorcycles. It's not about terrorising the locals. It's about enjoying the ride, the scenery, and the camaraderie.
The ride got off to a bang........literally! We all started to move off, when there was the sound of a bike crashing just to my right. Greg had put his bike into gear, stalled his bike and toppled over. Straight on to Simon's bike which was next to him. This had knocked Simon's bike over, with him and his daughter Cloe being thrown off it in all the commotion. Simon had just completed a major rebuild and repaint of his bike. This was it's first time out, so it was not the start he was after!
The bikes were quickly picked up, and the damage assessed. It turned out to be minimal scratches on both bikes, a slightly shocked Cloe, and a broken pillion foot peg on Simon's bike.
Quick as a flash Dean had his tool kit out and was swapping the foot pegs on Simon's and Greg's bikes, so both of them could carry on with the ride.
Finally, we all got going and headed over to Newtown. The A483 is just one of those roads that gets better each time you ride it. Half way to Newtown we realised that some of the group was missing. Sometime shortly after the car park incident with Greg, some of the riders near the back had somehow taken the wrong route. We would try and catch them up at some point later in the day.
After a leg stretch and coffee break we left Newtown on the A470 for Dolgellau, enjoying the stunning scenery even if the weather had turned a bit chilly.
The very twisty and challenging B4405, A493 along the coast, and the A487 came  and went with all of us eventually arriving in Aberystwyth for a late lunch stop. I was amazed at how the promenade had been rebuild following the devastating winter storms. It was like nothing had happened.

From Aberystwyth we took the A485, and A482 through Tregaron and Lampeter. This is another amazingly technical, twisting route. I have to admit to upping the pace a little, and putting my Tiger through it's paces. I was beginning to really love my new Tiger, although the front suspension was trying to tie itself in knots at times. This may have been due to the corner entry speeds I was attempting, as I successfully scampered away from the rampaging pack of Italian thoroughbreds giving chase.

We arrived back at camp, exchanging tales of Marquez style elbow down cornering, and tyres protesting at being asked to handle so much remapped power. None of which actually happened, but you now how blokes are!
This banter continued, and developed into local ale induced depravity, accompanied by some fine food at the local pub.
A great end to another memorable weekend. Some videos of the weekend can be seen on my YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/user/timcrasher

Weekend Away- First mini tour: Day 2

I don't know if it was because I am fast approaching 40, the crisp, cool Welsh mountain air, or a combination of the two. But, I awoke several times during the night in need of a pee. I don't remember consuming multiple litres of any kind of beverage before going to bed, so I was a bit puzzled as to why this happened.
Climbing out of a cosy sleeping bag, and exiting a tiny tent into the wilds of the Wales to water the bushes lost its appeal after the third, or it might of been the forth time!
The night sky was quite spectacular though. A clear night sky with no light pollution always makes me stop and stare. It truly is one of natures free gifts.
I was freezing my arse off at 2am, stood in a empty campsite looking at the night sky. I could feel all of the stress from my daily life drifting away never to return. Well, at least not until Wednesday when I returned to work!
I climbed back into my sleeping bag and dozed off only to be woken at around 5am by the locals. The sun was coming up, "so why wasn't I" seemed to be the theme. There was such a cacophony of noise coming from the local wildlife, it was like being in a David Attenborough documentary.
I knew it would be cold once I breached the confines of the down filled plushness of my sleeping bag, so I lay there a while. But, it was no good. My bladder alarm was going off, so I made a move to get up.
The three S's got me going, and I was ready for the day ahead. Because the rest of the guys and girls from the forum would not be arriving until at least after lunch, I had the morning to myself. And, I had a plan.
I wanted to try some filming up on the empty mountain roads nearby. So, after a nice bowl of porridge and some coffee I set off.
I headed for the top of the A4069. This is a great road ( one of the best in the UK), and has a stunning view across the valleys from the top. The road begins with a twisty run through the trees, alongside a rolling stream. But as you approach the foot of the mountain pass the scenery changes. In fact there is a cattle grid that marks the change. One side of the cattle grid is a typical country road. The other is much more barren, more mountainous.
I made my way up towards the top, avoiding the sheep feeding on the grass that grows right next to the road. Perhaps carbon-monoxide adds a little something to the fresh dew laden offerings. Heston Blumenthal will be trying it next!
Because it was still early, the top of the mountain was still shrouded in the low lying morning mist. When I got to the observation point at the top, visibility was less than 100mtrs. So, I rode back down the road to just below the cloud line, and stopped on a side road below the famous hairpin section.

I wanted to try capturing a time lapse video of my bike and the sun coming up, to use in one of my Vlogs. This seemed like a good spot, so I set up my camera and lined up the shot.

 Here you can see my Drift camera set up using an Ikea kitchen timer, a tripod to take the time lapse shots.
I set up the camera to take a shot every three seconds, finishing with a shot of my Tiger at the end. I used my top case as a secure base for the tripod, so I could frame the bike a little better.
I set the timer to thirty minutes, pressed go on the camera, then sat back and watched the sun come up.
I got my stove out and made myself a cup of coffee and enjoyed it with a piece of walnut cake I had with me. It helped to pass the time! I saw two cars go by in all the time I was up here. Bliss.

Once I had finished with the camera, I made my way over to another favourite road at the other end of the Black Mountains, the A4560 near Crickhowell.
I did some more filming here. One of the shots I wanted involved me setting up the camera on a rock for some drive-by clips. I set the camera rolling and rode back and forth a few times. As, I was returning to collect my camera, a large van pulled up right in front of it blocking the shot completely! I parked my bike and retrieved my camera, much to the bemusement of the van driver! I then had to explain what I was doing. He was very apologetic, and asked about my YouTube channel. I gave him one of my stickers with the link, so he could check it out.
https://www.youtube.com/user/timcrasher

With the filming done, I set off for Crickhowell for some fuel. I headed back towards the campsite as the others would soon be arriving, and I felt like a spot of lunch.
Just passed Brecon, I spotted a bike parked in a layby at the side of the road. It was Dave and Rosie, who were heading for the campsite. They ride a Tiger 955, and had stopped for smoke, and a leg stretch. I stopped to say hello, and Dave and Rosie told me they were just talking about how it would be funny if I came round the corner! Spooky!

They were heading to a biker café just past the campsite, and insisted I joined them for lunch. I'm glad I did. Monster burgers all round. And, the sun was blazing. It was like a summers day, not mid-April. After lunch we rode to the campsite, so they could set up their tent.
We were soon joined by the others, as they arrived from all parts of the country, as well as a few from Denmark and Norway. It truly was an international affair.
Once everyone had set up camp and said their hellos, we all retired to the local pub for some good food, good beer, and even better banter. The weekend is looking good!

Weekend away- First mini tour: Day 1

One of the reasons for buying my Tiger 800XC, was that it should be a good bike for touring trips. Nice comfortable riding position, decent tank range, and the ability to carry all my camping gear on an adventure, is what these bikes are all about.
Well recently, I was able to put my Tiger to the test during a weekend away in Wales. The weekend of 11-13/04/14 was one of the AF1 Aprilia Caponord forum UK meets. Although I no longer have my Caponord, I am still an active member of the forum. They are a great bunch of guys and girls, and the camping weekends held in Wales are a great event.
Due to work, I was able to have an extra day in Wales. The weather forecast looked good, so I assembled my vast mountain of camping equipment and attached it to the bike. I always end up taking too much stuff with me, but this year was going to be different. I had sorted through my stuff, and was only taking about a third of what I would normally. It was only a weekend after all!
With the bike loaded, I set off for the valleys of Wales just after rush hour. I had all day to get to the campsite in Llandovery, so I made most of the bright sunshine and the empty tarmac.
                                                                                        

I stopped after about an hour for a leg stretch and to check all my gear had not become loose. I also uploaded this  photo to let my work mates know I was having a great time riding in the sunshine.

As I neared Abergavenny, the sun disappeared behind the increasing cloud and it became a little bit chilly. I decided a spot of lunch at the bus station café would warm me up a bit. The bus station café is popular with bikers, as the roads all around are nice and twisty. Even though it was a Thursday lunchtime, there were about 10 bikes of all types parked up outside. You can expect over a hundred bikes on a sunny weekend day during the summer.

I ordered a cheese and tomato sandwich, a hot chocolate, and a chocolate covered flapjack that caught my eye. I took a seat and was soon after presented with the largest doorstop sandwich I had ever seen. The bread was from the local bakers, and was nice and soft with a great texture. It was awesome. Just the thing to set me up for the ride over to Llandovery on the A40.

 

Proper Man's Sandwich!

 

I left the bus station, and after a quick refuel ( for the bike this time) I set off west along the A40.

The A40, west from Abergavenny, is fast and flowing with great visibility. It becomes a bit of a racetrack at weekends. But, on a weekday afternoon it is very quiet.

It started off as a nice relaxing ride through the countryside. But, the section from Brecon to Llandovery is a particular favourite of mine. The relaxing ride became a little more spirited, and just past Sennybridge, I surprised a guy on a silver ZX12R with the pace of a fully laden Tiger 800XC!

I arrived at the campsite mid afternoon. http://www.erwlon.co.uk/. It is a great site with good facilities, and friendly staff. It has even won "Loo of the Year". I set up my tent, and had the top site all to myself.

Tent up and time for a brew

 











The others would be arriving the next day, so I had a relaxing evening chilling out with a book and some tunes on my phone. I went to the local supermarket for a few provisions. I put the stove on and cooked up a delicious mushroom risotto for dinner. This was washed down with a glass or two of wine, while I watched the Hawk jets from RAF Valley carrying out some low level training. A great end to a great day.